Search - Dog Soldiers on DVD

Jean W. from JORDANVILLE, NY
Reviewed on 8/14/2013...

a better than usual vampire movie, which isn't saying a whole lot. I gave this one a 2 because the acting was good.

0 of 2 member(s) found this review helpful.

Robert B. (rbrown) from STARKVILLE, MS
Reviewed on 4/22/2013...

Before director Neil Marshall made the internationally popular THE DESCENT, he cut his teeth on this film. DOG SOLDIERS is less a horror film than an action film in wolf's clothing. A group of Army guys is dropped into the highlands of Scotland for training exercises, but they soon find out that there is real danger waiting for them. It just so happens that there's a full moon out, and werewolves roam the countryside, looking for prey. That's the gist of the story, but it's made special by excellent performances and a script with a wicked sense of humor. Imagine ALIENS with werewolves instead of, well, aliens, and set in the wilds of Scotland, and you'll have a pretty good idea of what this film is like. I went into this film fully expecting to hate it, but it won me over within a matter of minutes. The creature design for the werewolves is probably the most fearsome that I've ever seen--there's no hint of humanity in them at all. They're nasty beasts. While DOG SOLDIERS isn't my favorite werewolf movie, it's in the top five. Besides, any werewolf movie that features Debussy's "Clair de Lune" is okay by me.

1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.

IVOR I. from CHICAGO, IL
Reviewed on 11/10/2009...

I feel in love with the team of Neil Marshall and Sean McCurdy when I saw a masterpiece of horror called 'The Descent.' McCurdy is an awesome cinematographer with the brilliant palate of a latter-day Stanley Cortes. Having now been disappointed by the cliché-ridden storytelling in 'Dog Soldiers' (2002) and the wince-inducing pile of clichés that is his big budget drekathon, 'Doomsday,' I've decided that writer/director Marshall needs to keep McCurdy krazy-glued to his hip for the sake of his career.

'Dog Soldiers' is not really a horror film, per sé, it's part of what I'll call the 'Lost Platoon' genre. You know, where a bunch of city-bred guys are lost in the country and they think they're really hard before they run into a bunch of true savages. The old survivalist trope, whether it's 'The Lost Battallion,' 'Deliverance,' or 'Southern Comfort' was gussied up for Schwartzenneger's 'Predator' and Steve Barker's brilliant 'Outpost' (2007). 'Outpost' is about a group of mercenaries being picked off by Nazi zombies. it's a lot of fun and doesn't take itself seriously at all. Maybe that's the problem with 'Dog Soldiers.'

'Dog Soldiers' pits a squad of six infantrymen against an army of werewolves in the Scottish highlands. Led by the witty and resourceful Sergeant Harry Wells(Sean Pertwee) the squad get creatively slaughtered, one by one, by the werewolves. It's no surprise at all that the pithy local Highlanders, led by a devious hottie named Megan (Emma Cleasby) turn into werewolves at night. A conflicted Private Cooper (Kevin McKidd), who we've seen being thrown out out of the British Special Forces for refusing to kill a dog by the vicious Captain Ryan (Liam Cunningham)in the beginning of the movie, seems to be the only squaddie capable of outthinking Megan and her pack. When Cooper's old nemesis Captain Ryan shows up, he's a quivering wreck. His squad all killed off, he becomes the soothsayer of doom.

All in all, it's kind of boring. If you like good cinematography, Sean McCurdy does an outstanding job. If you like creative gore, the killing and the special effects are outstanding. There are a couple of good running jokes about England beating Germany 5-1 in football and Cooper's friendship with Sam, Megan, the werewolf pack's leader's dog, but, otherwise, the film is the same ol' same ol'. Kevin McKidd, a fine Scottish actor who has given standout performances in "Train Spotting' and 'Topsy Turvy' is very much wasted here. Be sure to see 'The Descent' instead.

1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.

"Up until today you believed there was a line between myth a

Andrew Thompson | Intellectually Underrated Deep South (Birmingham, | 09/30/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In a world where there just aren't enough good old-fashioned werewolf flicks around, this little entry from Neil Marshall acquits itself as one of the true standouts.

I first saw this on the Sci-Fi channel a couple of years ago, and I absolutely loved it, so finally being able to see it in it's unedited form on DVD was a joy.

From the opening sequence, it's obviously a werewolf film; however, it's setting and clever, witty writing set it apart from so many others; only 'The Howling' and 'An American Werewolf in London', in my opinion, share such depth and enjoyment in their composure. Comparisons to both 'Predator' and 'Aliens' are accurate in a lot of respects, but this film was by far original enough to stand alone without being a rip off of either of those movies.

For an independent film, it's production values are stellar, as is the acting. I spent a good bit of time around British soldiers in the Gulf War, and watching this film was like being back there again, and each of the actors played his part efficiently and convincingly. Sean Pertwee, as always, performed his role to the hilt, completely believable in both his command capacity and his compassion for those under his command; Kevin McKidd was perfect in the part of the killing machine with a conscience; Liam Cunningham was both sophisticated and suitably grimy as the secretive black-ops commander; and the rest of the ensemble cast played off of each other remarkably well. As a veteran, I can tell you that it was an accurate portrayal of a combat unit under duress.

Add to all of this wonderful practical special effects (the werewolves are some of the scariest I've seen, and the gore is plentiful without being ridiculous), smart, snappy dialogue that pays homage to a great deal of pop culture, and the foreboding, misty forests of Scotland, and you have a werewolf feature that should impress anyone.

The particular release that I purchased has no special features whatsoever, but for a low-budget outing it has very good picture and sound, albeit a little grainy in both areas.

Highly recommended to fans of werewolves, 'last-stand' pictures, and horror films in general, particularly of the independent variety."

One of the best werewolf films of all time

Movie Man | BLOOMINGTON, IN, US | 04/15/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"What can you say. There aren't many really good NON B type werewolf films.

There is the origianl classic wolfman, the howling, an american werewolf in london, underworld series (altho it shares its stage with vampires), and then theres DOG SOLDIERS.

I would say Dog Soldiers actually rand like #3 of top werewolf films of all time being The Wolfman, The Howling, and Dog Soldiers.

Oddly enough its mostly low budget but has a good mix of action, suspense, and werewolf gore to keep you on you interested.

It is one of the few werewolf movies i watch a few times a year it just stays fresh if you give some time between viewings."